Vanderbilt Family Treasures Sell in Phillips’s $17 M. Jewelry Auction

Twelve lots offering storied jewels from the Vanderbilt family sold out in Phillips’s “Geneva Jewels Auction” on Monday, making up a significant portion of the total of CHF 13.7 million (around $17 million) raked in by the sale. Ninety-six of 113 total lots sold, measuring in for a 85-percent sell-through rate, and the results “attest to the enduring appeal of period jewels and the discerning eye of our international clients,” according to Phillips worldwide head of jewelry Benoît Repellin. The Vanderbilt family jewels brought in CHF 3.42 million ($4.25 million), four times the low estimate for the lots, and were led by “The Vanderbilt Sapphire,” a Gilded Age treasure featuring a 42-karat sugarloaf Kashmir sapphire and a diamond brooch crafted by Tiffany & Co. that sold for CHF 2.88 million ($3.57 million), above its estimate of $1 to $1.5 million. Related Articles Consignor Behind Phillips Sale of Amoako Boafo's Portrait of Thelma Golden Is Jesse Williams $3.2 M Basquiat Headlines Smaller Phillips London Sale, Down 30 Percent From Last Year “To bring the jewels of the Vanderbilt Family to the world’s stage was a moment of profound privilege,” Repellin said in a statement. “These treasures stand as the purest embodiment of Gilded Age elegance and the response we have witnessed is a testament to the timeless power of exceptional jewels.” Phillips noted that 90 percent of signed jewels in the auction sold. Repellin highlighted in particular the sale of the Cartier Magnificent diamond brooch for $560,582, as well as a Bulgari “Serpenti” belt for $368,383 and several lots offering Cartier “Panthère” jewels. The auction house said it had hosted more than 1,600 visitors during a preview and the sale itself, and that bids had been received from aspiring buyers in 44 countries. A “Geneva Jewels” online auction continues through November 13, and Phillips will lead a “New York Jewels Auction” at its New York headquarters on December 8.